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Embedded C Runtime Analysis

Runtime Analysis for Embedded C Applications

C/C++test’s runtime error detection enables teams to automatically identify serious runtime defects like memory leaks, null pointers, uninitialized memory, and buffer overflows—at the unit or application level.

The adaptability of this capability makes runtime memory analysis possible for teams working with nonstandard memory allocation models such as those found in embedded systems. Since the instrumentation used for this analysis is lightweight, it can be run on the target board, simulator, or host for embedded testing.

The collected problems are reported and include the details required to understand and fix them, including memory block size, array index, allocation/deallocation stack trace, and so on. Coverage metrics are tracked to help you measure and increase the scope of your testing efforts.

How Does It Work?

Parasoft C/C++test automatically instruments an application’s codebase to activate monitoring when the application is running, identifying serious defects, stability issues, and security vulnerabilities, such as:

Memory leaks
Memory corruption
Reading uninitialized memory
Accessing memory using an out of range pointer (e.g. buffer overflow)
Accessing memory using a null pointer
Using free() on an invalid pointer

Parasoft C/C++test’s runtime analysis provides predefined test configurations to support both native and embedded applications with C-style memory allocations (malloc / free). Runtime analysis can be performed during both unit testing, to validate specific scenarios and execution paths, and functional testing, to monitor the fully integrated application.

Defects that have been found during runtime testing can be presented directly in the developer’s IDE, and correlated with other test results and quality metrics, such as code coverage or static analysis findings from Parasoft C/C++test, so the user can get a complete picture of the tested application, making it easier to understand the root-cause of runtime defects.

Benefit From the Parasoft Approach

Identify Real Defects and Security Vulnerabilities Early

By monitoring runtime execution of an embedded application in its original embedded environment, Parasoft helps you uncover real-world defects during unit and integration testing. This is critical because runtime defects in embedded environments are often difficult to reproduce on a host platform—and on target platforms too.

Understand Defect Root Causes to Prevent Issues

By correlating runtime defects with static analysis results, Parasoft gives users visibility into the root cause of defects. This helps teams apply preventative practices across the entire codebase to uncover additional hidden defects and reduce the appearance of defects in the future.

Find More Bugs When Unit Testing

Unit testing is a critical testing practice to ensure code performs as expected under conditions that are difficult or impossible to reproduce when the application is fully assembled. C/C++test enables runtime analysis during unit test execution to uncover runtime issues that are buried within the application that you can’t easily reproduce within your pre-production environment.